1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices to feed patients who are unable to or who may not eat and in particular to feeding devices for insertion through the nasal passage and into the gastric tract of a patient.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art is generally cognizant of semi-flexible relatively large diameter tubes of PVC material which are insertable through the nasal passage and into the gastric tract of a patient. It is a problem with such tubes that they are very intrusive and uncomfortable to the patient. The prior art is also cognizant of devices for injecting highly flexible silicone tubing into blood vessels using a liquid to carry the tubing, as exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,703,174 and 3,826,256. Such devices are not directly usable for naso-gastric feeding due to the difficulty of feeding the tubing through the nasal passage and pharynx into the gastric tract.